Feb. 21, 2014
Highlanders 4 – Redhawks 2
The UC Riverside softball team started out the Amy S. Harrison Classic off right with a 4-2 victory over Seattle.
In the first inning the bases were loaded early due to a single from UCR’s Dionne Anderson, and Shylene Helms and Sommer Wilson being walked. When Natalie Sanchez got up to the plate, the catcher tried to throw it to first for a pickoff but first base Lisa Maulden missed the ball, giving Anderson the path to run home and bring the first points to the game, 1-0.
In the next inning the Highlanders scored again with the help of Stephanie Tickemyer. After scoring a single and getting to second from a sacrifice bunt, she ran all the way home on a single down the middle from Anderson to increase the Highlander lead, 2-0.
The Highlanders kept the ball rolling in the third inning, starting off strong with a single from Karina Romero and a two-RBI home run by Ashley Ercolano to make the score 4-0.
In the fourth inning Seattle offered some resistance, scoring a two-RBI home run that bounced off the scoreboard and cut the lead in half to 4-2.
Alyssa Razo pitched throughout the whole game and easily closed out the batters in the fifth and sixth innings, and only a single slide through in the seventh before sending the next three batters back to their dugout with their heads down.
Feb. 22, 2014
Lions 5 – Highlanders 3
The Highlanders couldn’t keep up the momentum from the opening game of the Amy S. Harrison Classic and lost against Loyola Marymount 5-3 on Saturday afternoon.
In the third inning, the Highlanders put the first points on the scoreboard. Dionne Anderson was quick to get a leadoff walk and stole second before heading to third from Karina Romero’s sacrifice bunt. Next up to bat was Taylor Wright who hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Anderson to reach home, 1-0.
UCR pitcher Ashley Ercolano held down the fort for the first four innings. She did not allow a single run and gave up only four hits before giving way to Alyssa Razo in the fifth. It would be in this inning that Loyola would take the lead. After two outs, Stephanie Crist crushed a ball over the left field fence to tie it up the game, 1-1. Crist’s score was followed by a misthrow after having a runner on first and second, allowing LMU to cross home plate once again, 2-1. Before the inning was over, Nicole Clowdus clocked a double to left field, making the score 4-1.
In the sixth inning, Marissa Escalante was the first on base with a walk, and got sent to second after Haley Harris generated a single. With a passed ball, both of the runners moved to the next base and when Stephanie Tickemyer hit a sacrifice fly, Anderson was able to score, 4-2.
UCR’s Harris was able to score after Romero came up to bat with a single, closing the deficit to one, 4-3.
Loyola Marymount got one run in the final inning before a sacrifice fly from Clowdus would send Taryn Renowden home to make it a 5-3 Lions’ lead.
The Highlanders did their best to come back with the first two batters getting on base in the last inning, but the next three would be struck out and give Loyola the game.
Feb. 22, 2014
Highlanders 15 – Roadrunners 10
The UC Riverside softball team was able to produce a stunning victory over Bakersfield 15-10, recovering from an eight-point deficit early on in the game.
In the second inning Bakersfield got the first point on the board after an error with the bases loaded. Karissa Veiga hit a triple to send the remaining runners all home, giving Bakersfield a 4-0 lead. The top of the third inning wouldn’t be much better for the Highlanders when the Roadrunners tallied four more runs on the board, 8-0.
Starter Sophie Slagle was taken out after the third inning and Ashley Ercolano was put in to stop the bleeding.
The bottom of the third would be where the Highlanders created some momentum. Ercolano singled to left center, sending home two runners, 8-2. Shylene Helms got the third run and two RBIs from Taylor Wright and Stephanie Tickemyer cut the Roadrunners’ advantage to three, 8-5.
In the next inning UC Riverside continued to mount its comeback with a double by Natalie Sanchez, and two RBIs to make the score 8-7. After a pitcher change, Stephanie Tickemyer would hit a single to bring Sanchez in, 8-8. The next pitch would be wild, advancing two runners and letting them slide home to bring the score 10-8. Anderson then scored a single and drove Kristen DeAnda, 11-8.
When the fifth inning came around Riverside tacked on two more runs to increase the lead to 13-8 with another 2 RBIs from Sanchez.
Bakersfield responded with a two-run homer in the sixth inning to bring the score to 13-10. Yet UC Riverside kept the pressure on, scoring two more runs with a double from Ercolano to take a 15-10 lead. When the seventh inning came around, three Roadrunners came up to bat and all three failed to get on base, giving the Highlanders a gratifying win, 15-10.
Feb. 23, 2014
Redhawks 3 – Highlanders 1
The Highlanders continued their weekend-long tournament on Sunday with a 3-1 loss to the Seattle Redhawks. Neither team scored through five innings until Seattle put two on the board in the sixth.
UCR got one run back at the bottom of the inning as Samantha Hernandez scored on a Marissa Escalante single to right field.
A solo homer from Redhawk Kayla Shuster-Gonzales in the seventh inning put the nail in the coffin as Seattle would run away with the game, 3-1.
Feb. 23, 2014
Highlanders 1 – Roadrunners 0
The UCR softball team ended the Amy S. Harrison Classic on a good note as the Highlanders defeated Bakersfield 1-0 in a shutout.
In the fourth inning, the home team scored off a Marissa Escalante hit, 1-0.
Neither team would score for the rest of the game as Highlander pitcher Ashley Ercolano held the Roadrunners scoreless.
The Highlanders now host the Mizuno Invitational beginning on Feb. 28.
